This application claims the priority of German Patent No. 199 260 00.1, filed Jun. 8, 1999, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a fastening arrangement for a caliper on a wheel carrier, the caliper being fastened on a projecting rib and partially reaching over a brake disk which has a brake lining extending on both sides in the caliper.
From German Patent Document DE 43 13 624 A1, a fastening of a caliper on a wheel carrier is known, in which case the caliper is connected with the wheel carrier on the interior side of the wheel carrier, that is, on the side facing the wheel. Furthermore, from German Patent Document DE 43 14 311 A1, a steering knuckle arrangement for motor vehicles is known, in the case of which a floating caliper disk brake and a wheel axle bearing are fastened to a carrier component.
It is an object of the invention to provide a fastening arrangement for a caliper on a wheel carrier which permits a simple mounting of a fixed caliper or of a floating caliper.
According to preferred embodiments of the invention, this object is achieved by providing an arrangement of the above-noted type, wherein the rib has a manufacturing thickness which, for optional fastening of a fixed or floating caliper, can be reduced on each side by an amount of thickness such that a basic thickness of the rib remains, and
wherein the fixed caliper can be fastened on an exterior side and the floating caliper can be fastened on an interior side of the rib at a defined distance from the brake disk by way of screwing devices.
Principal advantages achieved by means of the invention are that a wheel carrier is constructed with a projecting rib such that optionally a fastening of a floating caliper as well as of a fixed caliper is permitted by means of only low production or manufacturing expenditures. Thus, the rib has a manufacturing thickness which is constructed for the optional fastening of the floating caliper or fixed caliper and, for this purpose, can be reduced on each side by such an amount of thickness that a basic thickness of the ribs remains for fastening the caliper. With respect to the wheel, the fixed caliper is fastened on the exterior side and the floating caliper is fastened on the interior side of the rib at a defined distance with respect to the brake disk by way of screwing devices. In particular, the rib is constructed in its basic condition with a manufacturing thickness with respect to a rib center plane with rib halves which have the same thickness, in which case, in the fastened condition, the rib is constructed with a brake caliper asymmetrically with respect to the center plane.
So that a correspondingly defined distance can be maintained to the brake disk, at the side on which the caliper is fastened, the rib of the wheel carrier is therefore reduced by an amount of thickness. On the whole, irrespective of whether the thickness of the rib is reduced on the exterior side or on the interior side, a basic thickness is to be maintained for reasons of stability.
The fastening of the floating caliper on the rib of the wheel carrier takes place on the rib by means of at least one screw which is held in a threaded bore of the floating caliper, a passage bore being provided in the rib.
In contrast, the fastening of the fixed caliper on the rib of the wheel carrier takes place by means of a screw which is held in a threaded bore of the rib, and the screw projects through a passage bore of the fixed caliper.
In the construction of the wheel carrier with a rib according to the invention, which permits a reduction of the thickness corresponding to the use for a fixed caliper or a floating caliper, only one wheel carrier is required, whereby a multiplicity of parts is reduced. In addition, it is achieved by means of the wheel carrier that, with the exception of the brake disk, the components, such as the wheel hub, the wheel bearing and the drive shaft of the two calipers are identical.
For fastening the floating caliper on the interior side of the rib of the wheel carrier and for fastening the fixed caliper on the exterior side of the rib, a rib can also be used which has a basic thickness which is constructed symmetrically to a center plane. Such a construction will be used if the distance to the brake disk is maintained; that is, if, toward the interior, the large floating caliper brake and, toward the exterior, the large fixed caliper brake are to be accommodated such that the required defined distances to the brake disk are maintained.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.